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Trial of Athens man accused of 2011 murder set to start today

An Athens man is scheduled to go on trial this week in connection with a fatal shooting in west Athens two years ago.

Jury selection in the case of Sabien Jacquand Jones is scheduled to begin today in Clarke County Superior Court.

He is accused of fatally shooting 25-year-old Fernando Leondus Terrell in what police called a drug-related dispute near the Broadacres Homes housing complex west of downtown.

The apparent reason for the dispute was revealed in court documents filed last week.

According to an Athens-Clarke police detective’s affidavit in support of a search warrant, the dispute stemmed from Terrell using counterfeit money to buy marijuana from Jones.

The drug deal happened a few days before the slaying.

Terrell paid $100 for some pot, and Jones found out that it was counterfeit money when he went to use it to buy something at a convenience store, according to the affidavit.

Jones called Terrell demanding payment for the marijuana, and the two men agreed to meet, the detective wrote in the affidavit. But during the meeting, Terrell produced a gun and placed it on his lap, and Jones backed off because he felt threatened.

The men’s paths crossed again in the area of Rocksprings Homes a day later, at which time a friend Jones was with beat up Terrell, according to the affidavit.

Terrell fled from the scene before police arrived because there were warrants for his arrest.

After the fight, according to the affidavit, Jones began receiving threatening text messages from Terrell. The men got into an argument three days before the alleged murder on Paris Street.

Early the morning of Aug. 4, as Jones walked home from hanging out with friends on Campbell Lane, he encountered Terrell again on West Hancock Avenue near Broadacres Homes.

“Sabien Jones stated that Fernando Terrell came toward him with his hand in his pocket,” the search warrant affidavit states. “Sabien Jones felt that he had to defend himself, but would not go into detail about what happened.”

Police said that Terrell was shot once in the stomach. After running into a nearby housing complex, he collapsed and died.